𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼

2 hours until match start.

The scene looked pretty similar to yesterday. Team Z was collected in the room, Kuon had the bright idea to figure out the plan for the game. You were standing around with Chigiri, waiting for everyone to calm down enough to start.

Kuon clapped to try and gather the group's attention, "Guys, guys! First order of business, we need to figure out what positions everyone should play."

You raised your hand. You had a pretty good idea of a setup that would work from what you've gathered from everyone so far. Before Kuon could get the word in to tell you to speak, a gruff blonde decided his input was more valuable.

"You! No way in hell is some runt getting a good position." He held up an accusatory finger toward you, "Just stay on the fucking sidelines like you're good for." He turned back to face Kuon, "I'll be striker!"

You rolled your eyes, "I wasn't going to ask for a position."

Raichi slowly craned his head back to face you, his eyes traced your figure from top to bottom, "Your uniform doesn't even fit you right, peasant."

Sighing, you turned back to Kuon while you still addressed the blonde, "Whatever, I don't want to hear it from a kid who looks like he couldn't even color inside the lines with a gun to his head."

"You fucker-"

Kuon clapped, again, "Guys! Calm down! Let's just figure this out with some old-fashioned style rock-paper-scissors."

Chatter slowly filled the room back up for a few moments, Chirgiri came up in front of you and held out his fist, "Good one."

You bumped your knuckles together with his and smirked.

Isagi won rock-paper-scissors and chose to be the striker, you and Bachira would be behind him on the left and right, Iemon was the goalkeeper, etc, etc.

Everyone was sort of doing their own thing in the room, probably mentally pepping themselves for the match in an hour. You were on your back staring at the ceiling, this place was seriously dull. You focused on the small crevices in the blank drywall that spread across the top of the room. The people who filled it in must have forgotten to smooth out that one specific spot. Maybe the employee was just about to, but they suddenly got a call- a call that would chang-

This place was starting to make you lose your goddamn mind.

Shaking your head, you used your arms to push into a seated position, eyes scanning the room until they landed on Isagi. He had his hand on his chin, the same look on his face everyone has trying to understand algebra.

You got up and pattered your way over to him. Tapping his shoulder caused him to nearly jump out of his skin, like he just saw the ghost of a victorian ruler of England. You tried to cover your snicker with your hand while he looked over at you with his hand over his heart.

"Kazuma! Ah, you scared me," he yelped.

You sat down on the ground next to him, "Sorry, it looked like you were going to pop a blood vessel with all that thinking you were doing."

He hummed and looked out to everyone else, "Yeah...I'm pretty nervous, you know?"

No. "I guess." You shrugged, "Say, Isagi, how are you as a player?" It's been about 18 hours locked in this pentagonal purgatory and nothing about this kid has given you any insight about his personality as a player. It was seriously starting to bother you.

"I don't really know how to answer that," he laughed nervously.

You eyed him from the side and saw the sweat running down from his forehead, "Are you okay, dude?"

He let out a long exhale, "I'm sorry, Kazuma. You're really intimidating."

Oh. Yeah, you've gotten that before, but never off the field. Then again, this facility is practically a constant competition. Maybe I should be more conscious about letting up while I'm in this place.

You smiled, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Yeah, of course! I wasn't-"

You patted him on the shoulder a bit and chuckled, "It's fine," You started to stand back up, "Just try your best during the match. You chose to be our striker, take that seriously."

Isagi's features set into a fiercely determined expression, "Of course."

Your smile widened, "Don't fuck it up, Kira-killer."

"I didn't mean to eliminate him!"

"Excuses, excuses."

Team Z dramatically walked through the field entrance, you had to say, you were impressed by the dead-set looks on each of their faces, practically ready to walk into war. The group made it onto the field and soon enough your opponents walked through the opposite side.

Number 10.

As soon as you saw Team X, your eyes stayed locked on him. He was undoubtedly the protagonist of their team, something about him immediately muddled down his counterparts to mere side characters. He looked like he knew it, too.

The kickoff went off and the game immediately went to shit. Everyone was going feral for the ball, teammates and opponents alike. You could only look up to the camera, one you assumed Ego was looking through, in exasperation.

Number 10 broke through the crowd with the ball and got around Isagi on the other side, effectively getting a shot past Iemon into the goal.

Fuck.

Barou, whose name you learned from his teammates' cheers, declared himself 'King.' ... Yeah, looks like your assumption was right.

The game restarted with Igarashi intercepting a pass from Isagi to Bachira. The ball was, obviously, stolen from the little fuck and resulted in a goal from Team X.

And then another, and another, and another.

5-0. That was the score.

It was before a restart and Isagi was standing in front of you and Bachira with the ball. Personally, you felt disgusting. A thick layer of sweat ran down your face to your neck, your restricted breathing made all of this pointless running absolute hell. While you were heaving, Bachira spoke up, "Kazuma, Isagi, the other team is 5 up... so, they're relaxed right now. I think, that with us three, we can score a goal."

He was right, you guys could probably pull it off. "Okay," you stood up straight and rolled your shoulders back, "Isagi, pass to me and get in front of the goal. Bachira, run down on the right. Let's go."

Isagi passed the ball to you on his left and made a mad dash down the field. You sent the ball over the players right to Bachira's feet. He got the ball over to Isagi, but before he could shoot, Barou was in front of him.

Isagi quickly flicked the ball back to Kunigami, who was closing in from behind him. The ginger shot the ball into the net and scored Team Z's first goal.

The timer rang and the game ended.

Your hands immediately went onto your knees as you gasped for air. How does Ego expect me to play like this? I'm practically about to die, do I even have enough in me to make it to the bathroom?

You could hear Raichi, who was upset about the ball not being passed to him, and Barou, who was just being an asshole, shouting things at Isagi. Everyone filtered out of the field while Isagi was still collapsed on the ground. You took one last deep breath, that wasn't all that deep, and made your way over to him.

You held your hand out for him to take as you stood above him, "Get up."

He looked up with red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks, "Wha-"

Your features tightened, "Don't sulk. It was a good pass. You wouldn't have gotten through Barou the way you are now. It was impressive you knew Kunigami was there, anyway."

You could hear him pull in a shaky breath.

You reached down for his hand when he didn't respond and pulled him up to his feet, "You should take a shower."

He dusted off his uniform and a ghost of a smile pulled on his lips and ignored your last comment, "Thanks, Kazuma. But I still don't understand why I passed it."

"You'll figure it out." You started to walk out and looked over his shoulder to him, "Let's go back to the room. It was a good game."

"Ego, please-"

"How the hell did you find my office? Also, it's the middle of the night, get the fuck out." Ego had his sticky iPad on his lap while he glared at you from his obnoxiously large chair. The type you see movie villains in while they menacingly stroke a cat on their lap.

"It's not important how I got here. It is important that you let me have my phone back." You could just about get on your knees and beg at this point. Usually, if you were this bored, you'd go outside with a football, but now, with the binder, it was hellish to try and practice extra.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because. You haven't scored enough goals to get your phone back. What would the others think if they saw you get your phone out of nowhere?"

"..." It sucks when he has a point. You sighed defeatedly, "Fine...Is every one asleep?"

"Yes. Get out."

You pivoted and started walking out the door, "Goodnight to you too."

Fuck it. You headed toward the practice field, you'd never fall asleep at this point. Flipping on the light switch once you were through the entrance, you pulled up your shirt to rip off your binder and throw it on the grass. You grabbed a ball and walked out onto the field.

Shoot, goal, shoot, goal. You started to work out a bit of a sweat by repeatedly scoring from half-field. You had to say, it felt damn nice to play without restriction for the first time in a while. Two days.

You stood in place and dropped a ball down to your feet, practicing ball stationary ball control. You were so focused that you didn't hear the patter of footsteps coming from the entrance behind you.

"Oh? Kazuma-" You froze and felt your soul practically leave your body, "You're awake? Couldn't sleep, huh?" Isagi's voice was still facing your back. Shit. If I don't turn around he won't see anything.

Simple and foolproof.

You cleared your throat and held the ball between your hands, "Yeah, uh, I'm assuming you couldn't either?"

You could feel his gaze still on your back, "Well, what were you practicing?"

Maybe if I sprint out fast enough he won't notice. "Just dribbling, yeah..."

It was silent for a few moments, if you could keel over and die right now, you would. The sweet release of death sounded truly appealing. "Are you...going to turn around?" Isagi's voice was light but heavily inquisitive.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, "I...haven't washed my face yet." You started shuffling to face the right wall, from where you could trace the sound of his voice, he was somewhere near centerfield. So, if you just kept your back to him while you maneuvered around him and picked up your binder at the door, you could get out with him noticing any...added appendages. "Yeah, sorry, would have-" you were facing the entrance now, presumably back to back with him, although he probably was turning to face you and not keeping forward a fucking freak, "-loved to-" binder secured, "practice with you!"

Dust probably kicked up in the wake of your run. Someone would have thought you were being chased by a murderer, honestly.

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LMFAO I JUST REALIZED IVE BEEN GETTING THE BALD KIDS NAME WRONG THIS WHOLE TIME HELP how did i get igaguri from igarashi?? i even fucked up the name i made up for the reader im literally so stupid

ok so ive come to the conclusion that different translators have it as either igaguri or igarashi and no way in hell am i changing it again sooo igarashi it is losers